The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-15
ACHECK ON IMMIGRATION
MR.. MORRILL, ADDRESSES THE
SENATE ON HIS BILL.

9OTelRn GONSruI1SilIS AdDOrluS OnQ9r
the Delusion That This Country Can
Be Turned into Refuge for Their
Outcasts - Figures Showing This
Country's Large Foreign Population.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-The Senate to-
day took up the bill introduced by Mr.. Nor
rill to regulate immigration, and was ad-
dressed by that Senator in explanation and
advocacy of the bill Its main object, he
said, was to have the character of
foreign immigrants examined first
by the United States Consuls at
ports of departure instead of by State
commissioners at ports of arrival. The
foreign idea was that the United States in
vited free immigration, regardless of the
character of the immigrants, but the Ameri-
can idea was that it never really offered an
asylum to convicts, to irreconcilable enemies
of law and order, or to the occupants of the
Old Worlds insane asylums and work
houses. The doors were left open only to
persons of good moral character.
, 100000 IN 10 YEARS.
The fact that nearly 5000, 600 immigrants
had come to this country within the past
ten years proved that the question was one
American principle of free admission of i'm
migrants was not proposed to be abandoned,
but that principle had always been on con-
dition that immigrants should be of good
moral character and should be able to sup
port themselves
He referred to the fact that recently the
Mayor of the ATHENS of America" had
presided at a banquet given in honor of the
champion slugger of the prize ring, and
that if not the will, at least the political
necessities of the Mayor had consented to
that.
OUR FOREIGN POPULATION.
He said that 70 per cent. of the popula-
tion of Boston was composed of persons of
foreign birth and foreign parentage, so per
cent. of the population of New York, and
81 per cent. of the population of Chicago,
and these figures might be aggravated by
future immi grafton. By the census of 1880
the population of foreign birth and parent
age was about IL, ,000, 900, and the immigra-
tiOn since then 4, 4,344, 600, SO that without
including chilo born of foreign parents
since $780, there wal now in this country a
foreign population of 19 3t9. 900 or nearly
one-third of the entire pop alton.
SECRET OF THE ATTRACTIVE FORCE.
This disclosed the enormous attractive
force exerted by this country on the inhabi-
tants of Europe. He had lately visited
Castle Garden, in the port of New York,
where vessels had Just arrived from Ant
werp with 900 immigrants, and the sight he
had witnessed suggested doubt whether this
country possessed the transcendent power
to transform all these immigrants into
good and valuable American citizens. He
quoted the reply of Mr. Balfour to
question in the House of Commons
as to the government aiding emigration
to the effect that the government would
b
ing the remainder of the year. This, he
said, was a negative pregnant. Mr.. Bal
four had not said that parishes or neighbors
should not aid emigration.
MAY BE AIDED AGAIN
At the end of the year emigration might
be aided by the British government again
unless the Fishery Commission should i'm
plore Mr.. Balfour to refrain from putting
briers in their path, while cunning diplo-
macy was going on here. The paupers of
Great Britain numbered very nearly a
round million, outside of uncounted vagrants
and casual paupers who far exceeded the
number Of so-called paupers. There
was too strong tendency in Europe to re-
gard the United States as a cesspool for the
vilest products of the Old World. Provi-
dent husbandry demands that young
America should not be wholly deprived of
its birthright. The measure introduced by
him was intended to regulate immigration
by scheme so moderate as to receive gen
eral approval
At the conclusion of his remarks Mr.. Nor
rill moved that his bill be referred to the
Judiciary Committee, but Mr.. Edmunds
suggested that the subject more properly
belonged to the committee on foreign rea-
tions, and he moved that reference The
latter motion was agreed to, and then after
ten minutes in executive session the Senate
adjourned.
MIR. REAGANS BILL.
4 bill introduced by Mr.. Reagan in the
Senate to-day to regulate immigration
authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to
appoint inspectors Of immigration" to be
stationed at such ports of entry as he may
deem proper. The Secretary is directed to
draft regulations for the landing Of passen-
gers and to protect them from imposition
Power is conferred on the Inspector
OF immigration to board vessels
and remove immigrants temporarily
Tor the purpose of ascertaining whether
they are prohibited from landing by this
act. All unfit persons are to be kept under
the surveillance of the Collector of the port
until returned to the country whence they
came, the expense of their return to be
borne by the owners of the vessels bringing
them over. Before any immigrant shall be
permitted to land the Master of the vessel
shall llproduce certificate for each immigrant
certifying that he has not departed for
crime, is not pauper. lunatic or idiot, is
not in charg3 Of blood relations or
authorized guardians, is not an assisted im-
migrant, and is not under contract to labor
In the United States Bond shall be given
as guarantee against the indiscriminate
Issuing of certificates on the part of the
steamship company, 1t is made unlawful
for any persons interdicted by the provis-
ions Of the act to enter the United States or
for transportation company to bring him